NOSTALGIA: Lucky escapes as train and lorry collide near Boston

The accident happened in dense fog at Swineshead Bridge, only seconds after a passenger train had passed along the track.

It saw an articulated lorry, carrying a crane jib, smash through the barrier which had been lowered for the passenger train.

The goods train was close behind and the driver saw the lorry on the track and jumped clear before impact. His only injury was to his thumb.

The lorry driver, who also jumped from his cab, walked away from the crash unhurt.

The goods train driver said: “The barriers had gone across the road for the passenger train in front, but I still gave the usual whistle signal just on approaching the crossing – that is an extra precaution we always take. Just at that moment I saw the lorry on the track ahead and I just had time to jump out before the crash otherwise I could have been badly injured.”

A Sleaford man, Martin Simpson, also had a lucky escape. He was in a phone kiosk next to the crossing when the accident happened and the wrecked lorry cab ended up only four feet away from him.